Importance of 1918 virus reconstruction on current assessments to pandemic risk Jessica A Belser, PhD Immunology and Pathogenesis Branch Influenza Division Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Immunization & Respiratory Diseases Influenza Division
1918 2018 Belser and Tumpey, Science 2018; Image US National Archives and Records Admin; Animal Influenza, 2016 (Swayne)
Influenza A viruses circulating in Prior pandemics 1781-82 1789-99 1830-33 1847-51 1889-94 (H3N?) humans since 1918 Taubenberger et al, Antiviral Ther 2007; Image D Jernigan/B Jester
Reported human cases of novel influenza A infection, 1959-2017 H5N1: >850 cases H7N9: >1600 cases Avian: H4, H5, H6, H7, H9, H10 Swine: H1, H3 Diversity of viruses jumping the species barrier to humans Freidl et al, Euro Surveill 2014; WHO and Chinese provincial reports; Image D Jernigan/B Jester
Subtypes of novel influenza A viruses and clinical syndromes associated with human infection Diversity of clinical syndromes highlights the challenge in studying the human risk posed by these viruses Uyeki et al, The Lancet, 2017
Pandemic preparedness and risk assessment Assess potential pandemic risk of zoonotic influenza viruses Advance preparedness Response timing and capacity Employs both current and historical data CDC Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT) WHO Tool for Influenza Pandemic Risk Assessment (TIPRA) Jernigan and Cox, Textbook of Influenza 2013
Importance of 1918 virus reconstruction Identify properties that were responsible for the extraordinary virulence of the 1918 influenza virus Identify genetic determinants responsible for the transmissibility of this pandemic virus Apply this knowledge to current assessments of pandemic risk Archaevirology: the systematic study of past viruses by the recovery and examination of remaining material evidence Tumpey and Belser, Ann Rev Microbiol 2009; 1918 EM by Cynthia Goldsmith
Taubenberger et al, Science 1997 and Antiviral Ther 2007; Tumpey et al, Science 2005; image D Jernigan/B Jester
Initial assessments of the reconstructed 1918 virus High-titer replication in vitro Lethal in mice, ferrets, macaques Efficient spread throughout respiratory tract Nasal turbinates, trachea, lung in ferrets Systemic spread not pronounced Severe pulmonary inflammation in both mouse and ferret lungs Necrotizing bronchitis, moderate to severe alveolitis with edema Tumpey et al, Science 2005; Tumpey et al, Science 2007; Pearce et al J Virol 2012; Kobasa et al, Nature 2007
Molecular determinants of 1918 virus virulence Gene segmen t Single-gene reassortant viruses in BALB/c mice 1918/Tx91 (7:1) recombinant viruses Virulence 1918/Tx91 (1:7) recombinant viruses Virulence PB2 Same as 1918 High Same as Tx/91 Low PB1 Reduced replication Reduced Elevated replication Low PA Same as 1918 High Same as Tx/91 Low HA Reduced replication Low Elevated replication High NA Reduced replication Reduced Elevated replication Low NP Same as 1918 High Same as Tx/91 Low M Same as 1918 High Same as Tx/91 Low NS Same as 1918 High Same as Tx/91 Low Tx/91 +1918 PB1 1918 PB1 increases replication efficiency of Tx/91 H1N1 virus in NHBE cells Tumpey et al, Science 2005; Pappas et al, PNAS 2008
Close physiologic links between ferret and human respiratory tissues Similar binding patterns of influenza viruses to sialic acid receptors in both species Belser et al, 2016 MMBR; image by Alissa Eckert
Molecular determinants of 1918 virus virulence Gene segments from 1918 virus Morbidity (weight loss) Peak NW titer Log 10 EID 50 /ml None (avian H1N1) 6% 6.3 HA, NA 9.1% 6.5 HA, NA, PA 17.5% 8.4 HA, NA, PB1 12.4% 7.1 HA, NA, PB2 12.9% 8.1 37 C 33 C 1918 1918 HA, NA 1918 HA, NA, PB2 Contribution of 1918 surface glycoproteins and polymerase genes contribute to virulence in ferrets and replication at URT temperatures van Hoeven et al, PNAS 2009; ferrets (through 9 days p.i.) and MDCK cells (48hrs p.i.)
Transmission: respiratory droplet model Naive ferrets (white silhouette) are placed adjacent to inoculated ferrets Areas of potential exposure to influenza virus are depicted in yellow Arrows indicate dispersion of respiratory droplets expelled from the inoculated ferret Respiratory droplet model represents the most stringent transmission setup Belser et al. 2016 MMBR.
1918 virus transmissibility in ferrets Reconstructed 1918 virus (SC/18) Highly transmissible by airborne route Lethality in one contact ferret Seasonal H1N1 virus (Tx/91) Transmissible by airborne route Delay in shedding among contacts Avian H1N1 virus (Dk/Alb) Not transmissible by airborne route No seroconversion in contact ferrets Tumpey et al. 2007 Science.
Receptor binding and 1918 virus transmission Virus Description 190 aa 225 aa α2-6 α2-3 Transmission Tx/91 Seasonal H1N1 Efficient, 3/3 SC/18 NY/18 Reconstructed 1918 virus Natural variant 1918 virus AV/18 avianized 1918 virus aa position (H3 numbering) D D D D D. G E. G Efficient, 3/3 Inefficient, 2/3 (1 sero only) None, 0/3 Dk/NY Avian H1N1 None, 0/3 E G Receptor binding Respiratory droplet Dk/NY- DD Avian H1N1 with DD mut D D None, 0/3 α2-6 receptor binding necessary but not sufficient for virus transmissibility Tumpey et al. Science, 2007; van Hoeven et al, PNAS 2009.
Molecular determinants of 1918 virus transmission On background of avian H1N1 virus Respiratory droplet Gene segments from 1918 virus Transmission Conclusion All (fully reconstructed 1918 virus) Efficient, 3/3 None (avian H1N1 virus) None, 0/3 HA None, 0/3 1918 surface HA, NA None, 0/3 glycoproteins not sufficient HA, NA, pol complex (PB1, PA, PB2) Efficient, 3/3 Role for internals HA, NA, PA None, 0/3 Role for PB2 HA, NA, PB1 None, 0/3 specifically HA, NA, PB2 Efficient, 3/3 HA, PB2 Efficient, 3/3 Everything but PB2 None, 0/3 PB2 necessary but PB2 Inefficient, 1/3 not sufficient All, PB2 K627E mutation Inefficient, 1/5 Role for 627K van Hoeven et al, PNAS 2009; unpublished data; Subbarao et al. J Virol 1993.
1918-like viruses Likelihood and impact of 1918-like viruses emerging from the contemporary avian reservoir Viral segments that encoded proteins with high homology to 1918 viral proteins Generated 1918-like avian influenza virus Higher pathogenicity in mice and ferrets than authentic avian virus Transmissibility (1/3, then 2/3) following aa substitutions (HA, PB2, PA), then serial passage 1/3 0/3 2/3 1/3 0/3 to 1/3: loose bottleneck with high within-host HA diversity 1/3 to 2/3: strongly selective bottleneck after additional HA mutations emerged Watanabe et al, Cell Host & Microbe, 2014; Moncla et al, Cell Host & Microbe 2016.
Risk assessment post-1918 virus reconstruction 2009 H1N1 pandemic Importance of receptor binding preference Variant H1 and H3 viruses from swine reservoirs Role of HA and NA on mammalian pathogenicity and transmissibility Novel H5 and H7 viruses from avian reservoirs Contribution of PB1-F2 Belser and Tumpey. Microbe, 2010.
Pandemic H1N1 91 years later Escalation of confirmed 2009 H1N1 human cases from first detection to declaration of a pandemic Global distribution of estimated deaths associated with 2009 H1N1 during the first year of virus circulation 18,500 laboratory-confirmed deaths (April 2009-August 2010) Global mortality estimates >200,000 respiratory, >83,000 cardiovascular >80% in persons <65 years old, ~50% in southeast Asia and Africa Symptomatic case-fatality ratio estimates: 1918: 1-2.1% 2009: 0.05% Belser and Tumpey. Microbe, 2010; Dawood et al. Lancet Inf Dis, 2012; Nishiura. Expt Rev Respir Med, 2010
Receptor binding specificity: 2009 vs 1918 2009 H1N1 does not possess many known markers of mammalian virulence/transmissibility No 627K/701D in PB2, truncated PB1-F2 D225G (H3 numbering) present in >1% of 2009 H1N1 viruses Associated with severe pneumonia, ICU admittance, and death Present during 1918 pandemic Virus 225 aa α2-6 α2-3 1918 D 1918 D225G G 2009 D 2009 D225G G Zhang et al. J Virol, 2013; Reid et al, PNAS, 1999; Chutinimitkul et al, J Virology 2010; Belser et al. PLoS ONE, 2011.
Role of HA 225 in H1N1 pandemic influenza A/California/4/2009 D225G mutation did not augment transmissibility of 2009 H1N1 virus Comparable mouse and ferret pathogenicity A/California/4/2009 D225G 2009 H1N1 D225G 11% 53% Increased binding to human type II pneumocytes and alveolar macrophages Enhanced replication in respiratory epithelial cells Belser et al. PLoS ONE, 2011; Chutinimitkul et al, J Virology 2010.
HA glycosylation patterns of 1918 and seasonal flu Presence of glycans in close proximity to receptor binding domain can modulate binding affinity and specificity 1918 and 2009 H1N1: 1 glycosylation site on HA globular head Seasonal (pre-2009) H1N1: 4-5 glycosylation sites Modulation of glycans (G) can influence pathogenicity and binding specificity in mice Virus HA Weight loss LD 50 Receptor binding 1918 24.8% 10 2.2 +2G reduced binding 1918 + 2G (142, 172) 20% 10 4.6 to α2-6 SA 2006 seasonal H1N1 6.2% >10 6 H1N1 2G (142, 177) 25% 10 3.5-2G increased binding to α2-3 SA Sun et al. J Virology 2013. Mutant viruses have wt/mut HA and NA on PR8 backbone, 10 5 PFU dose; H1 numbering
Diversity of North American H1 viruses Evolution of North American H1 HA Continuous evolution resulted in the generation of genetically distinct clades, leading to many human infections Pulit-Penaloza et al, manuscript under review.
Importance of HA and NA lineage on virus transmissibility from swine Ferret peak morbidity Subtype year HA NA Weight loss Log 10 PFU/ml Lung titer d3 Respiratory droplet Trans H1N1 2000 swine swine 5% 3.2 0/2 H1N1 2002 swine swine 9% 3.05 0/2 H1N2 1999 swine human 5% 5.3 1/2 H1N2 2001 swine human 9% 3.9 1/2 H1N1 2005 human human 5% 4.95 2/2 H1N2 2008 human human 5% 5.45 2/2 All viruses isolated from swine bearing triple reassortant internal gene cassette Surface glycoprotein lineage can play a role in virus transmissibility Barman et al, PLoS Pathogens 2012.
Virus transmissibility of novel influenza A viruses following exposure to swine Ferret peak morbidity Subtype Year HA NA Weight loss Log 10 EID 50 or PFU/ml Lung titer d3 Respiratory droplet Trans H1N1 pandemic 1918 swine swine 11.7% 6.0 3/3 H1N1 seasonal 2008 human human 4.9% <1 (0/3) 3/3 H1N1 pandemic 2009 swine Eur swine 9.9% 4.4 3/3 H1N1v 2015 swine swine 12.5% 3.2 (1/3) 1/3 H1N1v 2015 swine swine 5.1% 4.3 2/3 H1N2v 2016 swine human 14.4% 3.8 3/3 H1N2v 2016 human human 14.9% 4.1 1/3 H1N2v 2011 human human 6.0% 3.7 2/3 All viruses associated with human infection Virus transmissibility in ferrets independent of H1 virus lineage Pulit-Penaloza et al, manuscript under review; manuscript in preparation.
D Jernigan/B Jester Detection of H5 subtype influenza viruses in avian species
Detection of H7 subtype influenza viruses in avian species Belser et al, Lancet Inf Dis 2018. Cartographic perfection by Ryan Lash.
1918, HPAI H5N1, and PB1-F2 Similarities following infection with 1918 and H5N1 viruses: Increased cellularity in lungs (macrophages and neutrophils) Susceptibility of lung macrophages and dendritic cells to infection High levels of proinflammatory cytokines elicited PB1-F2 has known roles in influenza virus virulence Full length vs truncated Presence of virulence-associated residues Perrone et al. PLoS Pathogens, 2008; Hai et al. J Virol 2010; Kamal et al. IJMS 2017
1918, HPAI H5N1, and PB1-F2 Both 1918 and H5N1 possess single aa substitution in PB1-F2 Virus aa 66 MLD 50 Lung titer d3 1918 WT S 10 2.5 >10 7 pfu/ml 1918 mut N 10 5.25 <10 6 pfu/ml Expression of 1918 PB1-F2 enhances pathogenesis of secondary bacterial pneumonia in mice A/WSN/33 with A/HK/156/97 PB1 Conenello et al. PLoS Pathogens, 2007; McAuley et al. Cell Host & Microbe, 2007.
Summary and conclusions Looking to the past: Archaevirology elucidated the composition of the virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic Role of surface glycoproteins and polymerase genes in both enhanced virulence and transmissibility of the virus Looking towards the future: Additional context and understanding of sequence Side-by-side comparisons of 1918 and current pandemic threats Research is still ongoing de Wit et al, J Inf Dis 2018
Acknowledgements Influenza Division, CDC Terry Tumpey Taronna Maines Jacqueline Katz Nancy Cox Dan Jernigan Barbara Jester Claudia Pappas Lucy Perrone Joanna Pulit-Penaloza Xiangjie Sun Neal van Hoeven Hui Zeng Mount Sinai Adolfo Garcia-Sastre Peter Palese Patricia V Aguilar Christopher F Basler Laurel Glaser Alicia Solorzano Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Jeffery K Taubenberger Southeast Poultry Research Lab David Swayne National Center for Immunization & Respiratory Diseases Influenza Division The findings and conclusions in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the